Centrifugal electric switch.



No. 647,254. Patented A pr. l0, I900. E. cnos. CENTBIFUGAL ELECTRIC SWITCH.

(Application filed Dec. 6, 1899.)

2 Sheets-Sheet (No Model.)

"HUWH HHU -Xz/z/w 7116A, a/Y.

cums PETERS o0, mom-UT Patente'd Apr. l0, I900.

CENTRIIFU'GAL ELECTRIC swmm (Application filed Dec. 6, 1899.)

2 SheetsSheet 2,

. (No lludel.)

r. 0 w I E v 0.

m: uonms PETERS 00., PNOTO-LITHO., wuumuroN, n. c-

NITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDOUARD CROS,'OF PARIS, FRANCE.

CENTRIFUGAL ELECTRIC SWITCH.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 647,254, dated April 10, 1900.

Application filed December 6, 1899. fierial No. 739,354. (No model.)

To ctZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDOUARD GRos, a citizen of the Republic of France, residing at Paris, France, have invented a new and useful centrifugal electric switch applicable in all cases where a variation of velocity permits of the regulation of motive iorce by electricity, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates a centrifugal electric switch for enabling an electric circuit to be made or broken according to the speed of the shaft carrying the same, the said shaft being in connection with an apparatus or machine the variations in the speed of which are to control the making and breaking of the circuit;

This switch can be arranged either to close the circuit by a diminution of speed and to break it in the contrary case, or it can be arranged to make the circuit as soon as its shaft attains and passes a predetermined speed.

In the latter case the circuit breaks of itself when. the speed is sufficiently reduced.

The apparatus consists, essentially, of a kind of governor operating by centrifugal force, and the weights of which are each mounted upon a pivoted arm fixed to a rotary shaft and also carrying a metal fork which can apply each of its arms to a fixed ring, the two rings being in connection, respectively, with the two conductors to be joined.

The position of the forks with respect to the counterweights of the apparatus is determined by the condition that the rubbing contacts should be applied to the rings at the moment when the speed diminishes or when the said speed increases. It is independent of the direction of rotation.

This type of switch may be applied, for example, to the external lighting of a train when stopping or when running at a reduced speed, in which case it closes the circuit the moment the speed diminishes. It can also serve for feeding the accumulators of a battery coupled to or in connection with the m0- tor or the dynamo. The circuit does not close until the speed has become sufficiently high. It is then a true make and break.

The accompanying drawings represent a switch device of the kind above described in several views. The said switch is arranged to close the circuit when its shaft slows down or stops.

In the said drawings, Figure 1 is a longitudinal sectional elevation of the apparatus; Fig. 2, a section on the line A B, Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a section on the line C D, and Fig. 4: is a plan.

My apparatus consists of two parts-that is to say, the electric part and the centrifugal mechanical part.

The electric portion of the apparatus is fixed to a frame, suitably arranged, supporting the shaft to which is to be fixed or connected the mechanical part of the device adapted to be operated by centrifugal force. It is composed of two metal rings (t1), the said rings being equal and parallel, of the same diameter, electrically insulated from one another, and which when they are mechanically connected by an arrangement of two contact fingers or brushes 0 0 close the accumulator-circuit. These rings a b are ar ranged concentrically around the shaft d, and their periphery is at a distance from the periphery of this shaft sufficient to avoid any contact between the rings and the shaft which might be brought about by oscillation or by the play of the suspension-springs in the case of the application of the apparatus to a carriage. Each of the rings a b is electrically connected with one of the insulated wires 6 c, connected to the circuit which provides the current between the accumulators and a lamp-for example, through the medium of the rings a b and of the fingers or brushes 0 c.

The centrifugal mechanical part of the apparatus consists of a centrifugal device of special construction, the object of which is to avoid any friction between the various parts during rotation, such friction always being present in ordinary apparatus operating by centrifugal force. This mechanical portion comprises, essentially, the two pivoted arms f f, symmetrically mounted with respect to the rotating shaft 61 upon a frame g, fixed to the said shaft. The frame g carries two bearings h, cast in one with it, the said bearings being arranged to support spindles 11 i, to which are fixed the levers 7t" 7.:, carrying the weights t Z.

Two antagonistic springs m m, which are connected, on the one hand, to one of the arms fand,'on the other hand, to the ring 01, fixed to the spindle 1', are arranged in such a manner that they oppose the centrifugal force which tends during rotation to separate the levers 7t 70. Upon the spindles i of the levers 7.; 7t; are fixed the double metal fingers c c, forming a kind of fork. They are fixed in such a manner that when at rest they touch under the action of the springs m m the two electric rings (6 l), and thereby establish communication between the said rings, and consequently close the circuit.

The construction of the apparatus being thus set forth, the operation thereof will be easily understood. \Vhen the movement of rotation is imparted to the shaft (Z upon which the device is mounted, the masses of the weights Z Z, by reason of the centrifugal force, tend to separate from the rotating shaft; but the said weights being solid with the levers 7.: turn the said levers and their spindles t in the bearings 72 h, and as the fingers 0 are fixed to these spindles 11 they participate in the movement of rotation and separate from the two rings which they connect electrically. The springs m can be regulated by turning them in the required direction or by varying the distance of the weights Z Z from the axis of the spindle 2' or the value of the weights such that the centrifugal force only overpowers the antagonistic force of the springs at a predetermined speed of rotation. Suitably-arranged stops 0 limit the extent to which the weights can be swung out under the action of centrifugal force by bearing upon the arms of the frame g. Itwill be seen that while the apparatus is in movement all the parts are absolutely at rest relatively with one another, which gives rise to the following re sults: absence of friction between the parts, no wear, no necessity for lubrication nor for repair, and no necessity for overlooking the parts for which the mere manufacture will be practically sufficient. Furthermore, the whole of the apparatus can be inclosed in a jacket through which only the ends of the shaft (Z extend, so that the mechanism can be pro tected from dust and weather.

The arms of the levers, the weights, their position, and the strength of the antagonistic springs are all calculated on the basis that the said antagonistic springs shall overcome the centrifugal force as soon as the latter is rendered weak by reason of the considerable diminution in the velocity of rotation of the apparatus, the result being that the contact of the double fingers with the rings is always effected a short time before the rotating shaft completely stops. From this there result two important advantages-first, the cleaning or scouring of the rings before the stoppage of the rotating shaft by the friction of the double fingers or brushes, and, second, the apparatus becomes practically a tachometer, provided that when arranging the weights upon the length of the arms of the lever the device can be regulated so that the antagonistic springs do not overcome the centrifugal force until the speed is below a limit which can be fixed very approximately.

By inverting the position of the keys or fingers, as has been hereinbefore explained, the apparatus can be specially adapt-ed for charging a battery of accumulators in such a way that it interrupts the charging-current when the tension drops below a predetermined value-that is to say, when the speed. of the dynamo has fallen below the corrcsponding speed. The two fingers therefore only come into contact with the two rings when a predetermined speed has been at tained and the centrifugal force is of the rcquisite strength.

The apparatus hereinbefore described is capable of many applications-as, for example, first, the automatic and intermittent external lighting of :railwaycarriages du ring the stoppage of the trains at stations and on the line at night-time; second, the governing of the speed of automobile vehicles by the breaking of the ignition-current when the speed of the motor increases, and, third, the charging of accumulators by a dynamo by inverting the keys, thereby replacing the very delicate apparatus now in use for this purpose.

The weighted lovers 7.; may be coupled together to insure joint and simultaneous ac tion, as clearly shown in Fig. 2.

Having now particularly described and certained the nature of my said invention and in what manner the same is to be performed, I declare that what I claim is- 1. In a centrifugal electric switch, the combination with two stationary, metallic contact-rings, in the circuit but insulated from each other, a rotatable shaft extending through said rings, and a frame fixed on said shaft and having a radial bearing arm or part, of a rocking spindle mounted in said arm of the frame, a weighted lever fixed to said spindle, a spring which antagonizes the centrifugal force acting on said weighted lever, and contact fingers or brushes carried by said rocking spindle and adapted to be put into and out of contact with the said stationary rings by the rocking of said spindle through the influence of centrifugal force and the said antagonizing spring.

2. In a centrifugal electric switch, the combination with two stationary, metallic con-- tact-rings, in the circuit but insulated from each other, a rotatable shaft extending through said rings, and a frame fixed on said shaft and provided with two oppositely-situated, radial bearing arms or parts, of rocking spindles mounted respectively in said bean in g-arms and extending substantially paral lo] with the main shaft, a weighted lever fixed In Witness whereof I have hereunto signed on each of said rocking spindles, the antagomy name, this 21st day of November, 1899, in IO nizing springs which oppose the effect of centhe presence of two subscribing Witnesses. trifugal force on the Weighted levers, and the 5 contact fingers or brushes carried by the re- EDOUARD GROS' spective rocking spindles and adapted to Witnesses: make and break the circuit when shifted by EDWARD P. MAGLEAN, the rocking of their spindles. ALEXANDER MATHIEU. 

